Teacher shot at Newport News elementary school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For whatever reasons, there is no question that the administrators of this school did not implement an appropriate IEP for this child. Totally unacceptable, and they should not be able to continue in their current positions or in another position within the school system.

There could be lots of reasons that the IEP didn’t work. But in the motion to dismiss her lawsuit, the defendants note that she, herself, advocated that the boy’s school day be extended because of his improvement.

I imagine this stage of the litigation will last for years. Negligence and even gross negligence don’t take cases out of the worker’s compensation system. In VA, pretty much the only two things that entitle an injured worker to sue are lack of insurance coverage and sexual assault, neither of which apply here. So the lower courts will likely feel bound to dismiss the suit. Either way though, there will be an appeal. To win, the courts will have to expand injured worker protections beyond the plain la gauge of the workers’ comp act, which is a tough sell in any state, especially a conservative one.


https://abcnews.go.com/amp/US/district-dismiss-lawsuit-teacher-shot-6-year-covered/story?id=98921573

PP here. Thank you for this info. Very helpful and interesting. Regarding the IEP, I have participated in the development of many IEPs over the years (kindergarten thru high school for kids with significant emotional/behavioral concerns and neurodevelopmental issues. Never did we decide a child should be in a regular classroom setting with a parent all day. However, since that is what this administration deemed appropriate, then this child should not have been in that classroom for one minute without a parent.

I read that about a week before the incident, the plan was changed and parents were no longer required to attend because he was doing better. And in the article I posted, the school is saying that this teacher advocated for longer days because he was doing well.

I agree it’s a weird plan for so many reasons and there has not been any explanation as to the rationale. So we don’t know if the parents refused alternate placement or whether there was no other option. I mean he is young to have such serious problems. Or whether the school didn’t know what to do for him. Or something else. I’ve personally only dealt with behavioral issues with older kids so I have no idea what happens with very difficult young kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For whatever reasons, there is no question that the administrators of this school did not implement an appropriate IEP for this child. Totally unacceptable, and they should not be able to continue in their current positions or in another position within the school system.

There could be lots of reasons that the IEP didn’t work. But in the motion to dismiss her lawsuit, the defendants note that she, herself, advocated that the boy’s school day be extended because of his improvement.

I imagine this stage of the litigation will last for years. Negligence and even gross negligence don’t take cases out of the worker’s compensation system. In VA, pretty much the only two things that entitle an injured worker to sue are lack of insurance coverage and sexual assault, neither of which apply here. So the lower courts will likely feel bound to dismiss the suit. Either way though, there will be an appeal. To win, the courts will have to expand injured worker protections beyond the plain la gauge of the workers’ comp act, which is a tough sell in any state, especially a conservative one.


https://abcnews.go.com/amp/US/district-dismiss-lawsuit-teacher-shot-6-year-covered/story?id=98921573

PP here. Thank you for this info. Very helpful and interesting. Regarding the IEP, I have participated in the development of many IEPs over the years (kindergarten thru high school for kids with significant emotional/behavioral concerns and neurodevelopmental issues. Never did we decide a child should be in a regular classroom setting with a parent all day. However, since that is what this administration deemed appropriate, then this child should not have been in that classroom for one minute without a parent.

I read that about a week before the incident, the plan was changed and parents were no longer required to attend because he was doing better. And in the article I posted, the school is saying that this teacher advocated for longer days because he was doing well.

I agree it’s a weird plan for so many reasons and there has not been any explanation as to the rationale. So we don’t know if the parents refused alternate placement or whether there was no other option. I mean he is young to have such serious problems. Or whether the school didn’t know what to do for him. Or something else. I’ve personally only dealt with behavioral issues with older kids so I have no idea what happens with very difficult young kids.

PP here. I can appreciate all that you're saying, and it will be very interesting to learn what happened. If the school administrators didn't know what to do with him, then they should have skilled, experienced professionals from the county come and help with IEP development.

[Anonymous]

PP here. I can appreciate all that you're saying, and it will be very interesting to learn what happened. If the school administrators didn't know what to do with him, then they should have skilled, experienced professionals from the county come and help with IEP development.

Exactly. This isn’t some podunk ISD with two schools and no central office.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

PP here. I can appreciate all that you're saying, and it will be very interesting to learn what happened. If the school administrators didn't know what to do with him, then they should have skilled, experienced professionals from the county come and help with IEP development.

Exactly. This isn’t some podunk ISD with two schools and no central office.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:she starting to act like a drama queen. she now wants 40MILLION DOLLARS

yeah, how dare she expect some sort of compensation for getting SHOT BY A STUDENT AT WORK. The school system wants her to take workers comp and forget it ever happened. A BIG lawsuit with BIG numbers is the only thing that will get their attention.

But yeah, I wonder why teachers are quitting?

FOR 500 WEEKS that is almost like 10 years!!! she will be 35, before she going back to work. She wants 40,000,000 so she can stay home for life, and never work a day in her life again.

as a non- teacher, I am ok with that. She deserves it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:she starting to act like a drama queen. she now wants 40MILLION DOLLARS

yeah, how dare she expect some sort of compensation for getting SHOT BY A STUDENT AT WORK. The school system wants her to take workers comp and forget it ever happened. A BIG lawsuit with BIG numbers is the only thing that will get their attention.

But yeah, I wonder why teachers are quitting?

FOR 500 WEEKS that is almost like 10 years!!! she will be 35, before she going back to work. She wants 40,000,000 so she can stay home for life, and never work a day in her life again.

as a non- teacher, I am ok with that. She deserves it.

+1 And so many posters here (and that school system's weak, ineffective administrators) are ignoring the lingering impact of this child's behavior on all of the other innocent little kindergarten and first graders who have been in classes with him as he choked and shot his teachers.

[Anonymous]

So true. How are those kids supposed to feel safe in schools for the rest of their lives? Even kids in nearby classrooms who heard the shot may have been traumatized.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So true. How are those kids supposed to feel safe in schools for the rest of their lives? Even kids in nearby classrooms who heard the shot may have been traumatized.

This is a problem with all school shootings. Sadly, we should be getting good at developing immediate crisis response and long term trauma management in our country given how often we see school shootings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So true. How are those kids supposed to feel safe in schools for the rest of their lives? Even kids in nearby classrooms who heard the shot may have been traumatized.

This is a problem with all school shootings. Sadly, we should be getting good at developing immediate crisis response and long term trauma management in our country given how often we see school shootings.

Most school systems express some concerns about what happened and going forward. This school system? Silence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So true. How are those kids supposed to feel safe in schools for the rest of their lives? Even kids in nearby classrooms who heard the shot may have been traumatized.

This is a problem with all school shootings. Sadly, we should be getting good at developing immediate crisis response and long term trauma management in our country given how often we see school shootings.

Most school systems express some concerns about what happened and going forward. This school system? Silence.

You must not be reading the news. The school system made personnel changes. They installed metal detectors. They had a family day before reopening the school. They offered emotional support and meals for a period of time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So true. How are those kids supposed to feel safe in schools for the rest of their lives? Even kids in nearby classrooms who heard the shot may have been traumatized.

This is a problem with all school shootings. Sadly, we should be getting good at developing immediate crisis response and long term trauma management in our country given how often we see school shootings.

Most school systems express some concerns about what happened and going forward. This school system? Silence.

You must not be reading the news. The school system made personnel changes. They installed metal detectors. They had a family day before reopening the school. They offered emotional support and meals for a period of time.

I read the news and am aware of what you've said. They haven't explained why the principal is still working in the school system, they haven't apologized publicly for what occurred (only a lawyer vetted statement), and they're trying to absolve themselves from financial obligation. It's all very controlled to limit a payout. Conflicting statements have been made as to why that child was allowed in that type of setting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So true. How are those kids supposed to feel safe in schools for the rest of their lives? Even kids in nearby classrooms who heard the shot may have been traumatized.

+1 most definitely

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So true. How are those kids supposed to feel safe in schools for the rest of their lives? Even kids in nearby classrooms who heard the shot may have been traumatized.

This is a problem with all school shootings. Sadly, we should be getting good at developing immediate crisis response and long term trauma management in our country given how often we see school shootings.

Most school systems express some concerns about what happened and going forward. This school system? Silence.

You must not be reading the news. The school system made personnel changes. They installed metal detectors. They had a family day before reopening the school. They offered emotional support and meals for a period of time.

You must not have read the statements put out by the school system regarding the risks of which teachers should be aware when working in a school. They're statements are very callous and self-protective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For whatever reasons, there is no question that the administrators of this school did not implement an appropriate IEP for this child. Totally unacceptable, and they should not be able to continue in their current positions or in another position within the school system.

There could be lots of reasons that the IEP didn’t work. But in the motion to dismiss her lawsuit, the defendants note that she, herself, advocated that the boy’s school day be extended because of his improvement.

I imagine this stage of the litigation will last for years. Negligence and even gross negligence don’t take cases out of the worker’s compensation system. In VA, pretty much the only two things that entitle an injured worker to sue are lack of insurance coverage and sexual assault, neither of which apply here. So the lower courts will likely feel bound to dismiss the suit. Either way though, there will be an appeal. To win, the courts will have to expand injured worker protections beyond the plain la gauge of the workers’ comp act, which is a tough sell in any state, especially a conservative one.


https://abcnews.go.com/amp/US/district-dismiss-lawsuit-teacher-shot-6-year-covered/story?id=98921573

PP here. Thank you for this info. Very helpful and interesting. Regarding the IEP, I have participated in the development of many IEPs over the years (kindergarten thru high school for kids with significant emotional/behavioral concerns and neurodevelopmental issues. Never did we decide a child should be in a regular classroom setting with a parent all day. However, since that is what this administration deemed appropriate, then this child should not have been in that classroom for one minute without a parent.

No, sorry. Schools can't require parents to attend school with their child and it's completely inappropriate for that to be the plan. If this child needed a 1:1 with him, the school should have gotten him and aide. This alone tells me the school messed up badly --- and that's not even getting to the gun part.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So true. How are those kids supposed to feel safe in schools for the rest of their lives? Even kids in nearby classrooms who heard the shot may have been traumatized.

This is a problem with all school shootings. Sadly, we should be getting good at developing immediate crisis response and long term trauma management in our country given how often we see school shootings.

Most school systems express some concerns about what happened and going forward. This school system? Silence.

You must not be reading the news. The school system made personnel changes. They installed metal detectors. They had a family day before reopening the school. They offered emotional support and meals for a period of time.

I read the news and am aware of what you've said. They haven't explained why the principal is still working in the school system, they haven't apologized publicly for what occurred (only a lawyer vetted statement), and they're trying to absolve themselves from financial obligation. It's all very controlled to limit a payout. Conflicting statements have been made as to why that child was allowed in that type of setting.

I was responding to your comment about radio silence, which isn’t the case. Now you’re faulting them for not responding publicly to prospective litigation. That would be foolish of any entity.